Two Bits – 16 December 2016

At least the Boks didn’t  play Georgia!

The past year has been notable for political earthquakes that shook the foundations of accepted thinking and will have far-reaching consequences for years to come.
With an economy still struggling to recover from the fallout of 2008 and the longest downturn since the Great Depression, the totally unexpected firing of finance minister Nhlanhla Nene wiped a third off the JSE in one day. Six months later, just when it was showing signs of recovery, along came the uppercut of Brexit followed by the right hook of Trump, both events largely influenced, it would seem, by the turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa that have caused a flood of refugees into the West. For good measure, a 100-year drought here that has caused sky-rocketing food prices has not made our lives any easier and, to add insult to injury, the Springboks lost every game they played, even Italy! On the bright side, at least they didn’t play Georgia.
To quote one economist, how could it get worse next year? Well, you never know, but is that cause to be optimistic about 2017?
People are asking themselves how this could all have happened, in particular Brexit and Trump. There is an eagerness to blame the two outcomes on xenophobia and a rebellion against bureaucracy and the political establishment, even the blinkered reliance on social media for information and, worse, the spread of false news through social media. But beyond the growing realisation that the answers lie much deeper, so too is a feeling of helplessness in finding a rational explanation for what appears to be the political equivalent of road rage. In other words, the gatvôl factor.
At home the reasons for our political turmoil are more obvious. For the first time, voters sent out the clear message that they are tiring of the happy free-for-the-privileged-few jostling at the State trough. Perhaps a reason for optimism is that Jacob Zuma must surely get his pink slip at the national conference in November, as well as a number of old guard stalwarts like Gwede Mantashe. With luck, it will be the time for new blood like ANC treasurer and former KZN premier Zweli Mkizwe, amongst others.
The down side is that the government will suffer from paralysis in the six months leading up to the ANC national conference. No decisions will be taken at a local and provincial level. Well, maybe that’s not so bad. Fewer decisions can also mean fewer bad decisions. . .
At the macro-local level, which is what our lives on this stretch of the North Coast is all about, there is every reason to be optimistic.
In March the new Junction shopping centre will open. It will undoubtedly have a very big, long-term effect on the local economy. In the immediate sense, all those new shops and their supply chains will create as many as 1 500 new jobs. It is expected to bring many more people to the area, which will create demand for accommodation. If they haven’t done so already, it is time for developers to start thinking about meeting the growing demand for medium cost housing.
People are asking, but where will the people come from to shop at this huge mall? Remember how the same questions were asked about Gateway, and look at the hustle and bustle there today. If the shops have the right goods, people will come from Tongaat, Stanger, Eshowe and beyond. Already there are stirrings of rebirth at Blythedale coastal resort and Mt Richmore at Salt Rock – both hammered by the property slump – which will increase the pool of consumers.
So, I think we should be optimistic. 2016 was a bloody awful year. Surely it has to get better!
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Fantastic exercise that really helps you to lose weight: Turn your head to the left. Good. Now turn your head to the right. Very good. Repeat this exercise whenever you are offered any food.